Al-Kahf (The Cave)
Verse 25 - 26
Table of Contents
25. “And they remained in their Cave three hundred years, and (to that also) they added nine more.”
26. “Say: ‘Allah knows best how long they remained. To Allah belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clear of sight is He and keen of hearing! There is none to be a guardian for them besides Him; and He makes none to share in His Sovereignty”
The Sleep of the Companions of the Cave
The frame of references existed in the former holy verses denoted that the sleep of the Companions of the Cave was a very long sleep. This matter moves the sense of curiosity of every listener. He may desire to know how many years precisely they remained in their long sleep.
This holy verse removes the doubt of the listener when it says:
“And they remained in their Cave three hundred years, and (to that also) they added nine more.”
Therefore, the total years that they remained and slept in the Cave counted three hundred and nine years.
The Jews asked Hadrat Ali (as) about the length of the time that the Companions of the Cave remained in the Cave. He (as) answered them it was 309 years. They said that it had been mentioned 300 years in their Book. Hadrat Ali (as) said that nine years was the difference between the solar year and lunar year.1 ,2
In Maraqi’s it is cited that this nine years is counted as a miracle of the Qur’an which has considered the difference between solar years and lunar years so precisely.
It may be said that the number of the years had been the same 300 years to which later people added nine years where the Qur’an says:
“…and (to that also) they added nine more.”
So, in answer to that, Allah says:
“Say: ‘Allah knows best how long they remained...”
It is evident that the purpose of Allah, the Exalted, by this verse is reasoning to His wonderful and great Power. This reasoning can be right when the length of their sleep is clear.
Thus, the objective meaning of the holy words:
“Say: ‘Allah knows best how long they remained...”
after stating the length of the time of their sleep, is for invalidating the saying of the people of the Book who had differed in this matter. Then, the objective meaning of the Qur’an is:
‘O Muhammad! Say that Allah is more aware of the time of their sleep that He has informed it’.
Do accept whatever Allah says and leave out the sayings of the people of the Book, because Allah is more aware of this matter.
In other words, in order to put an end to the different debates of people in this concern, He commands His Messenger (S) as follows:
“Say: ‘Allah knows best how long they remained...”
Then, the reason of this statement comes forth, when the verse continues saying:
“…To Allah belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth...”
He Who is aware of what is concealed and what is manifest in the whole world of existence, how may it be that He remains unaware of the length of the time of the stop of the Companions of the Cave?
The verse says:
“…How clear of sight is He and keen of hearing!…”
That is why they (the dwellers of the heavens and the earth) have no guardian save Him. The verse says:
“…There is none to be a guardian for them besides Him…”
At the end of the verse, the Qur’an adds:
“…and He makes none to share in His Sovereignty”
In fact, this part of the verse is an emphasis on the absolute guardianship of Allah.